“Life is a Cabaret” – Ein krauses Spektakel

 TfNs Jens Krause was giving a cabaret concert in a town called Neustadt am Rübenberge near Hanover on 23rd October 2011 which I couldn't miss.

So I was off to discover the next "cosmopolitan city" this month combining it with a few lovely hours of hiking enjoying a most beautiful sunny autumn day as the town is near a moor and a large lake called "Steinhuder Meer" (Steinhude sea, do not ask why it is called sea). The cabaret was taking place in the town's stunning castle, in its "großer Saal" (big hall) to be exact. Just a piano on the left hand side and in the centre a director's chair on a low stage and a few dozen chairs around. What an impressive location.

Unfortunately it was not very full, but then I suppose people who might have come spontaneously didn't due to the beautiful weather. Who wants to be stuck in a room except you are too interested? ;-)

First Jens's pianist Assia Livchina appeared performing an intro of several musical numbers and then he entered the room - or shall I say she did. Dressed in a short greyish/silver sequined stretch-georgette dress with black high heels looking wonderfully he opened the cabaret with a strong nasal rough-edged voice and a down-to-earth attitude "Willkommen" from Cabaret.

The whole motto of the cabaret was him portraying an aging diva telling stories from her life, particularly of her experiences with men. Most of the other numbers were 1920s/chanson style numbers, a lot not known to me but they were performed with so much passion and with his thespian abilities not just sung remarkably but also acted well with a lot of detailed and pointed touches and a warm, forthright  and also good-humoured personality and being perfectly supported by Assia who blended in so well in Jens' fluid presentation.

"Her" little discussion with the pianist also were very entertaining mocking around with the clichés of the old divas as the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Hildegard Knef.

In act 2 after an outfit change to a long gown (see pictures below) there were a few more musical numbers as "Mein Herr", again from Cabaret or "A Little More Mascara" from La Cage Aux Folles (I know it is shown not too seldom in Germany, but I would love to see the TfN to do that show with Jens as Zaza) which was my personal highlight, so deeply and profoundly moving, finishing off with a number from the musical version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (which as he announced will return to the open air theatre in Hannover with him as Puck, yay).

A few visual memories (act 2):